MACON, Ga. (AP) — Gov. Nathan Deal has signed a bill into law requiring childcare workers to undergo comprehensive, fingerprint-based background checks.

Deal signed House Bill 350 Wednesday at a school in Macon. The law is aimed at preventing those with a prior felony conviction from working around children.

Current law requires only the director of a child care facility to pass the more comprehensive check. Additionally, only state background checks were required for childcare workers, which allowed people with felonies in other states to work in Georgia's child care programs. Under the legislation, all employees will have to pass the check before being eligible to work at a licensed child care facility in the state.

The new law is expected to impact more than 6,000 childcare employees working in the state.